An introduction to
John’s Gospel Peter Jeffery
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An introduction to
JOHN’S GOSPEL Taken from ENJOYING GOD ALWAYS by Peter Jeffery and published by Evangelical Press.
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This book comes to you with the compliments of BAGLAN MINISTRIES in Wales. Our purpose is to encourage Christians to read the Bible every day and to help non Christians to find the salvation offered in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
BAGLAN MINISTRIES 119 Tyn-y-Twr Baglan PORT TALBOT SA12 8YE Email: peter@peterjeery.org.uk
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THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY BIBLE READING Can you imagine what it would be like if you had to go a week without food? You would be in a poor way. So it is if you go a week without spiritual food. You will be left impoverished. You need to read the Bible every day. Daily reading of the Bible is crucial. If, as the Apostle Peter says, the Bible is spiritual food for our soul and promotes spiritual growth, then daily feeding is obviously necessary. One of the major hindrances to spiritual growth is indwelling sin, and God’s answer to this is in Scripture; ‘I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119: 11). Meditation implies thought and time and effort. It is quite the opposite of ‘dipping in’ to Scripture. You will not benefit much from reading the Bible too quickly and too superficially. The person who is meditating is serious and unhurried. Bible reading must be daily and systematic. Do not fall into the trap of reading in a haphazard way - dipping in here and there to your favourite passages. The result of that will be that you know a few passages well, but the bulk of Scripture will be a mystery to you. To overcome this, most of us need a system of Bible reading. There are many systems available, some which enable you to read through the Bible in a whole year. But do not be too ambitious. Choose a system you can cope with. If you don’t you can easily fall behind in the readings, get discouraged and give up. Set a pace you can handle, and stick with it. If you find these notes on John profitable why not get hold of ENJOYING GOD ALWAYS by Peter Jeffery published by Evangelical Press. There you will find Bible reading notes for every day of the year.
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DAY 1
John 1:1-28
What a tremendous opening John writes for his book. The first verse is thrilling and exciting. The Word, as is clear from verse 14, is Jesus. Jesus was with God. Jesus was God. And all this is true ‘in the beginning’. Before creation, before God said, ‘Let there be light’, Jesus existed with the Father in heaven. Immediately at the beginning of John’s Gospel we are confronted with the uniqueness and exclusiveness of Jesus. He alone brings life and light to a dead, dark world (v. 4). It is in Jesus alone that we can become children of God (v. 12). All through his Gospel John tells us the same thing. His purpose is to exalt the Son of God and put him before us as our only hope and only Saviour. In fact, the entire Bible is about the Lord Jesus Christ — who he is, what he has done and what he is going to do. Jesus is special. John says in verse 14 that the Word became flesh. In the birth of Jesus, God was doing something that was way beyond human thought or imagination. Jesus became man in order to make atonement for man’s sin. It was man who had broken God’s law and sinned, therefore it had to be a man who would pay the penalty for that sin. But there was no man qualified to do this, so God became man in the person of Jesus Christ and did for us what was crucial for our salvation. This is what John’s Gospel is about. It was written that sinners ‘may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name’ (John 20:31).
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DAY 2
John 1:29-51
John the Baptist had a remarkable ministry and crowds flocked to hear him; but he was only a forerunner. His ministry was to prepare the way for one of whom he said, ‘the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie’ (John 1:27). John spoke of Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’. He saw Jesus as God’s provision to deal with human sin. Clearly the phrase ‘Lamb of God’ is a special one and must have a meaning that is relevant to the problem of human sin and how God deals with it. What is equally clear is that God always deals with sin justly and mercifully; that is, in wrath and in love. God’s justice cannot turn a blind eye to sin The only way of dealing with sin in justice is the death of the sinner. So it appears that God’s justice leaves no room for mercy. It is because of this that the concept of Christ as the Lamb of God is crucial. It enables the justice of God to be fully satisfied and at the same time the love and mercy of God to be fully operative.
The idea of ‘lamb’ is taken from the Old Testament sacrificial system where the innocent dies in the place of the guilty. Jesus is the sacrifice who is provided by God to die in the sinner’s place. Since the creation of the world the amount of human sin is beyond imagination, but God deems that the death of his Son is sufficient to atone for all that sin. This speaks volumes for the infinite worth of Jesus. One Jesus is enough to save a multitude from the consequence of sin. Hallelujah, what a Saviour.
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DAY 3
John 2
The turning of the water to wine was the first miracle that Jesus performed. He seemed reluctant to do it (v. 4) but nonetheless by this action he showed who he was and strengthened the faith of his disciples (v. 11). Jesus is God and Christianity is a supernatural faith therefore we should not be surprised to read of miracles in the Bible. A miracle is an act that is inexplicable to human reason and knowledge, and can only be explained in terms of a direct action of God. Some object to miracles because they are contrary to the laws of nature. But the so-called laws of nature are only God’s laws, and if on occasion he chooses to overrule them, then so be it. Miracles remind man that he is not as clever as he thinks he is, and they reveal the supreme glory and power of God. Once we accept the fact of a sovereign and omnipotent God then it is not difficult to believe in miracles. The apostle John regards the miracles as signs (v. 11) or proofs of the divine authority and character of Jesus. They were not clever tricks designed to impress the crowds but displays of divine power that point beyond themselves to Jesus and testify that he was no mere man. Jesus himself said, ‘The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me’ (John 10:25). John spells out the purpose of the miraculous sign in chapter 20:30-31: ‘Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
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DAY 4
John 3:1-21
Being born again is the initial step in salvation. By his teaching in John 3 Jesus wants us to know that we need a new beginning. Man had a beginning once in Adam but that was ruined by sin. What we need now is a new start that sin cannot spoil and this is exactly what the gospel offers us. The path to heaven begins when a person is born again. Before this we are all dead in sin. We are incapable of making a spiritual response to either God or the gospel. This explains why the sinner cannot ‘see’ or ‘enter’ the kingdom of God (vv. 3 and 5). He is as incapable of moving towards heaven as a corpse is of climbing out of its grave. A force from outside is necessary. Being born again is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, stirring us, raising us and giving us new life. It is regenerating life in that which is spiritually dead. So far the sinner contributes nothing to what is happening to him. The work is entirely God’s, but it does not end there. From verse 10 onwards Jesus speaks of believing. It is not the Holy Spirit who believes for us — it is something the sinner must do. And this he is able to do only after he has been born again. We are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The facts are that God sent his Son to die on the cross for sinners. Faith is our response to the good news of what Jesus has done. By this means, we are rescued from the condemnation and wrath of God. Regeneration precedes faith. We believe because we have been born again.
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DAY 5
John 3:22-36
For a while the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus overlapped, but John was not in competition with Jesus as today’s reading makes very clear. John could easily have revelled in his own popularity as the crowds flocked to hear him, but he knew that, ‘He must become greater; I must become less’ (v. 30). This is a lesson for all preachers and indeed for all Christians. The real success of a man’s ministry is to be seen in how well he points people to Jesus. It is possible for a preacher to create a little kingdom with himself as king, but a true servant of God shuns that like the plague. There will always be some, as there were with John (vv. 25- 26), who cannot see beyond the man preaching. John deals with this spiritual blindness in his followers with a glorious testimony to the unique superiority of Jesus (vv. 27-36). ‘The bride belongs to the bridegroom’ — the church belongs to Christ. John is only the best man whose job it is to minister to the needs of the bridegroom. When the groom arrives he steps aside, not reluctantly but with great joy (v. 29). His work is now complete. Jesus must become greater because this is God’s plan of salvation and Jesus is God’s Son. Eternal life is to be had in the Son and in no one else. It is important that all Christians know their place, and it is even more important that we know Christ’s place. Do not exalt yourself but Christ, both with words and actions, as the only one worthy of praise and adoration.
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DAY 6
John 4:1-26
Jesus meets a woman who is the complete opposite to Nicodemus. He was a Jew, she was a Samaritan. He was religious, she was immoral. He was a rabbi who taught people in the synagogue; she was a social outcast who drew water at the well at midday to avoid meeting other women. The two could not be more different yet their needs were exactly the same. We are so prone to categorize people, but as far as God is concerned we are all sinners who need salvation. Jesus speaks to the woman and tells her in verse 10 that if she only knew to whom she was speaking then she would ask for greater things than are in her mind. This is the problem most people have. They do not realize who Jesus is and what he can do for them. The Samaritan woman asked for water when Jesus was offering eternal life. We may not have the exact problem this woman had, but we are all part of a broken world — broken homes, broken hearts, broken relationships, broken hopes. What a mess! And the cause is exactly the same as that which lay behind the woman’s problems — sin. Our sin is an enormous problem but Jesus can deal with it. If only she knew who Jesus was. In verse 26 she is told that knowledge available to men and women, but it brings with it a self-examination. Jesus made the woman face up to her own sin and guilt (vv. 16-17). He loves us but he will not allow us to think that sin makes no difference. Yet knowing who Jesus is enables us to come in confidence to him to ask for forgiveness.
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DAY 7
John 4:27-54
The crucial question is whether the Samaritan woman’s problems were solved by her meeting with Jesus. We are not told. We are not even told whether she was saved. Verse 29 is rather vague and gives us no indication of her spiritual condition. She is certainly intrigued, but is she saved? We can say from verse 29 that she is not now ashamed to talk openly about her past sin. From verse 28, we see that she is no longer avoiding people because of a sense of guilt and they take her words seriously (vv. 30 and 39). Does this mean that her sin is forgiven and her guilt dealt with? The answer has to be yes. This is indicated by the words of Jesus to his disciples in verses 34 and 35 — the fields are ripe for harvest. As part of the crowd flocking out of the city, the woman herself is part of that ‘fruit’. The lesson Jesus draws from this for his disciples is that they need to open their eyes and see the true situation (v. 35). See the need. Without Jesus men and women are going to hell. There can be no greater need than that. See your responsibility. It is our job to tell sinners about Jesus. We must all be involved in this and it has to be something done now, not at some time in the future. See the potential. The fields are ripe for harvest. Who knows what can be accomplished if Christians took seriously the New Testament command to evangelize? There is no greater privilege than telling people about Jesus and we rob ourselves of much blessing by our reluctance to speak openly about the Saviour. More importantly, we rob Jesus of glory by allowing sinners to remain in ignorance when we can tell them the gospel.
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DAY 8
John 5:1-15
The whole scene at Bethesda was a pathetic sight (v. 3). Here were numbers of sick people just sitting around waiting for something to happen. They were waiting for a miracle, which they believed would only be of help to one of them. There is not the slightest hint that they sought God or prayed for help. They just waited. One man in particular had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Jesus asked him if he wanted to get better and his answer in verse 7 is interesting. He does not say, ‘Yes, of course I do’, but, rather, gives an answer that implies two things: 1. It was not his fault. There was nothing he could do. 2. His vision was very limited. He could not see beyond the popular idea of the pool — first in, first served. There are many like that today. They may not have a physical problem but they know they have a spiritual one. Yet their idea of salvation is very limited. It is a mixture of truth and error. They know enough of the gospel to believe that they cannot save themselves, but think that because this is true there is nothing at all that they can do. But there is. They can pray for mercy. They can seek the Lord. They can read the Bible and cry out to God for pardon. Instead they just wait with a sort of fatalistic hopelessness for something to happen. The man at Bethesda said, ‘I have no one to help me’; but no repentant sinner can ever say that. There is one who shed tears for sinners, died on a cross for sinners and now lives to save sinners. Jesus is an amazing Saviour. He seeks us, finds us and saves us.
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DAY 9
John 5:16-47
Following the healing at Bethesda, the Jews increase their hostility to Jesus. On this occasion their excuse was that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath and therefore this was sin. But if it had not been the question of the Sabbath it would have been something else. In his answer Jesus does not mention the Sabbath; rather, he calls four ‘witnesses’ to substantiate his ministry: John the Baptist, the works he had been doing, the Father himself, and the Scriptures. Ultimately just about every opposition to Jesus comes down to a refusal to believe what the Scriptures have to say about him. Liberal theology flatly refuses to take the Scriptures seriously. Modern sects pay lip service to the Bible, just as the Jews did (v. 39), but they refuse to believe what they do not like. A serious and diligent study of the Scriptures will not in and of itself benefit anyone. The Jews did this (v. 39) but could not see Jesus in the writings of Moses. Yet Jesus says clearly, ‘He wrote about me’ (v. 46). We need to learn to read the Bible with an eye open for Christ, and this as much in the Old Testament as in the New. All the Scriptures point to Jesus. For instance, in John chapter 3 and the Old Testament story of the serpent in the wilderness, we have a reference to the death of the Saviour. Then in John 20:9: ‘They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.’ Clearly from this verse the Old Testament spoke of the resurrection. We do not worship the Bible but we do revere it as the Word of God which points us to Christ. So we read and study it not merely to obtain knowledge but that we might meet with Christ.
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DAY 10
John 6: 1-34
The crowds flocked to hear Jesus and verse 2 explains the reason. It was because they saw miraculous signs. Many of these people were part of the 5,000 who had been miraculously fed, which in turn led to a tremendous popular adoration for Jesus. In verse 15 we are told that they were even willing to use force to make him king. As long as things were happening, as long as there was excitement, activity and drama, these folk were there (vv. 2 and 14). But Jesus was not impressed with this and in verse 26 he tells them that their interest in him is carnal and not spiritual. Yet still they continue to crave for the miraculous (v. 30). Clearly it is possible to have an unhealthy interest in miracles. Such an attitude towards Jesus will eventually lead to rejecting him altogether (vv. 60 and 66). In the second half of the chapter Jesus counters this obsession by beginning to teach them basic, solid, essential doctrine. He begins to make demands upon them to think. The miracles should have made them think, but their reaction was purely carnal. A man’s true spiritual condition is not revealed by his response to the miracles of Jesus — who can quarrel with the sick being healed? — but by his reaction to the teaching and doctrine of Jesus. Today, churches can be filled for a healing meeting but when it comes to doctrine, particularly the doctrine that Jesus taught in John 6, the same people are offended (v. 61). Are you like that?
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DAY 11
John 6:35-71
Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life,’ and then he goes on in verse 51 to spell out what this means. The Jews react strongly against this. They take Jesus literally and think he is advocating some form of cannibalism. They completely misunderstood him, but instead of toning down his teaching Jesus strengthens it (v. 53). What was difficult for the Jews before is now impossible. To a Jew, drinking blood was repulsive. Why did Jesus do this? It is because he wants to show them where they truly are spiritually. To them this teaching was hard, and they were offended (vv. 60-61); but Jesus was only teaching the basics of Christianity and the way of salvation. He taught them that God was sovereign in salvation (vv. 37, 39, 44, 65), and man was completely helpless in sin. It is amazing how these basic biblical truths can still offend people. Men do not like being told that they cannot save themselves, cannot deal with their own sin and cannot make themselves acceptable to God. But verse 44 is very clear: no one can come to Christ unless first of all God draws them. Jesus also teaches that he is the only way of salvation (vv. 50- 58). The business of eating his flesh and drinking his blood is symbolic language for direct participation in and benefit from the death of Jesus on the cross. It is another way of saying that we must believe in Jesus — compare verses 47 and 54. Does this offend you? Sadly it does for some, but for many these are words of life and like Peter we can say: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’
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DAY 12
John 7:1-24
Jesus had reached a stage in his ministry when things were very difficult. We read in John 6:66 that the crowds were no longer as enthusiastic as they once were. This led to the Jewish leaders becoming bolder in their opposition and they now tried to kill Jesus (v. 1). Even Jesus’ family did not believe in him. It must have been a very lonely time for the Saviour and we find him going to Jerusalem secretly (v. 10). He is despised and rejected by man! It was the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles and the city was aflame with controversy about Jesus (vv. 11-12). Though he is rejected Jesus still causes a stir. Men may reject him or hate him but they cannot ignore him. People would like to see the back of Jesus but he keeps intruding into their lives, if only for a brief moment at weddings and funerals. In verse 43 we read that there was a division among the people because of him — there always is. People have to decide about the Christ of God. There is no sitting on the fence on this question. Jesus will not go away; he demands a response from us. • Some come to the most amazing conclusions about him (v. 20) • Some cannot think straight about him (vv. 22-24) • On the basis of half-truths others reject him (v. 41) • But some put their faith in him (v. 31) We will see in tomorrow’s reading what it means to put your faith in Jesus.
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DAY 13
John 7:25-52
On the last day of the Feast Jesus issues publicly the great gospel call: ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink’ (v. 37). The invitation is to the thirsty. To understand this we have to realize that the Feast of Tabernacles remembered God’s goodness to Israel during their forty years in the wilderness. They had been in a dry barren place where there was nothing to satisfy their thirst. There was no hope for them and death stared them in the face. Then God intervened with water from the rock (Exodus 17:6). This time Jesus is speaking not of a physical thirst but a spiritual one. He is offering living water (v. 38) to meet a great spiritual need. Left to us the world would be a great spiritual graveyard for souls. We cannot live on material things alone. But thank God we are not left to ourselves. He provides for our spiritual needs in Jesus. The thirsty person is the one who can see that he has a need that only Christ can satisfy. To such people, Jesus says, ‘Come to me and drink.’ ‘Come’ is one of the loveliest words in the Bible. It contains warmth and feeling and concern. It assures us of a welcome, so there is every incentive to come. To have faith in Jesus means to believe the truth about him and to come to him in repentance. It is to throw ourselves totally on his mercy. It acknowledges an inability in ourselves, and a confidence in Jesus.
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DAY 14
John 8:1-30
Jesus delighted in the relationship he had with the Father. Three times in today’s reading he says that the Father sent him (vv. 16, 18, 29). He is claiming for himself a unique authority. All that he taught was direct from the Father (vv. 26, 28) and it was this sort of claim that so incensed the Pharisees. In anger and frustration they ask him, ‘Who are you?’ (v. 25). The New Testament uses many titles and names for the Lord Jesus but the one he himself used most often was the one he uses here in verse 28, ‘Son of Man’. No one else addressed Jesus in this way; this title makes it plain that he really was a man. He was a unique man and a sinless man, but nevertheless he was truly man and this was essential for our salvation (Hebrews 2:14-17). Yet Jesus was more than a man. Twenty-five times in the Gospels he calls himself the Son of God. In Jesus, God becomes man, takes to himself human nature and identifies himself with humanity in a way never known before. Jesus is truly man and truly God. He is not part man and part God. In him exists two natures so that he is divine and also a sinless man. If we were to ask, ‘What is God like?’ the answer the Bible would give is that he is like Jesus — holy, righteous, good, full of compassion and mercy. The sinner’s only hope of salvation rests on this great truth of who Jesus is, because God can only be known through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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DAY 15
John 8:31-59
Jesus is speaking to people who, according to verse 30, had put their faith in him. They are described again in verse 31 as having believed in him. Does this mean they were saved and were now Christians? The answer has to be no, because in verse 37 Jesus says of the same people, ‘You are ready to kill me.’ Then in verse 44 he makes the devastating statement: ‘You belong to your father, the devil.’ These people have listened to Jesus for some time and they were impressed with him. But when Jesus now began to talk of being slaves to sin and the need to be set free, they do not like it (vv. 31-36). The gospel does not say, ‘Come to Jesus because he loves you.’ The Jews of John 6 and 8 would have been happy with that. There are many who say they have faith in Jesus but they are just like those Jews. They are not Christians because they ignore the teaching of Jesus about personal sin and guilt, and the need of redemption. When Jesus calls these people ‘children of the devil’, he does not mean that they are obviously evil and worship Satan. They are often very respectable people but they are not interested in biblical truth. To them it is irrelevant and too complicated. Verse 43 explains why they are like this, and verse 47 says, ‘The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’ This is a very sad passage of Scripture and ends with the people trying to stone Jesus. Thank God if you have seen your slavery to sin and found the truth of Jesus that alone can set you free.
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DAY 16
John 9:1-19
Today’s reading brings before us the two extremes that are always at work in the world — the utter stubborn sinfulness of man and the unmerited grace of God. Here we have a man who has been blind all his life. He was a ‘non-entity’ and few took any notice of him. Those who saw him frequently were not even sure if he was the man they had known for years (vv. 8-9). Even the disciples were only interested in him as a theological problem (v. 2). No one had taken any real notice of him, until he met Jesus. Jesus healed the man and now he was able to see. In their hatred of Jesus the Pharisees refused to believe that a healing had taken place (v. 18). There is nothing more amazing than when people refuse point blank to believe the obvious work of God. People say, ‘Prove it then I will believe it.’ This incident in John 9 blows that excuse wide open. There are none so blind as those who do not want to see. Spiritual blindness is a far worse malady than physical blindness. To be unable to see the faces of those you love is obviously a terrible thing, but to be unable to recognize the love and grace of God when it is at work is a tragedy that has eternal consequences. The Pharisees were opposed to all that Jesus said and did. They concentrated on small things and were unconcerned about the greater issues. In the words of Jesus they ‘strain out a gnat but swallow a camel’ (Matthew 23:24). May God give us grace to see as Jesus saw and to love as he loved.
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DAY 17
John 9:17-41
Jesus healed the blind man and the man is not slow in declaring what happened to him (v. 25). But at that point he is still spiritually blind. He could talk about Jesus (v. 25), acknowledge that he was a prophet (v. 17) and say with confidence that he was a man from God (vv. 30-33), but he did not know who Jesus really was. Here was a man who knew something about the love of God, but he did not yet know the redeeming love of God. He thought that what he had received was wonderful, and it was, but it was nothing compared to what was to follow. God often works like this. He may give us a wonderful token of his love, but do not mistake tokens for the actual redeeming love that brings salvation. Because of his association with Jesus the man was now an outcast (v. 34), and when Jesus heard of this he went looking for him. Here is Jesus the Good Shepherd seeking out a lost sheep. Jesus asks him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ From his answer we see that he does not believe although he wants to (vv. 35-36). When he is confronted with Jesus as the Son of Man, he believes and worships the Saviour. He is no longer spiritually blind but able to see and appreciate who Jesus is. If ever a man had cause to worship and praise God, this man did. A few hours before, he was both physically and spiritually blind, but Jesus had now dealt with both these conditions. A change had taken place in his life. He knew it; his parents knew it; everyone knew it; whether they liked it or not, it was impossible to deny.
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DAY 18
John 10:1-21
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When Jesus spoke of himself as the gate or door for the sheep he was claiming to be the only way for God’s sheep to enter into a living relationship with the heavenly Father. There are others, like hired hands and thieves, who are interested in the sheep but their interest is selfmotivated. Only the Good Shepherd will give his life for the sheep. Not only is he the gate but he is also the Shepherd. What makes Jesus not only a Shepherd, but also the Good Shepherd? It is for the benefit of the sheep that he dies. But how can his death be a benefit for them? Surely only if he dies instead of them. Again, the Good Shepherd never abandons his sheep when danger threatens. He knows them and they know him. The Good Shepherd is determined that others will know of his kindness and he will introduce them into his flock. What a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ! He died on the cross for us. When others who promise to help us and care for us let us down, he never deserts us. And his care for us is completely personal — he calls his sheep by name. While Paul rejoiced in Christ’s death for the world, he also delighted to refer to the Saviour as ‘the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’. He is still at work saving men and women and bringing them to himself. This is our Saviour. This is our Good Shepherd and there can be no greater privilege for a sinner than to be one of his sheep.
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DAY 19
John 10:22-42
When the Good Shepherd saves his sheep they are saved for eternity. They cannot lose their salvation and no one can take it from them. In today’s reading Jesus gives two reasons why this is true. 1. The life which the Good Shepherd gives to his sheep is eternal life (v. 28); and so, inevitably, ‘they shall never perish.’ How can they, if they have eternal life? The life which the common grace of God gives to all men is limited to seventy years or so (Psalm 90:10); but the life which the saving grace of God gives to his people is without limits — it is eternal. And, says Paul, the gifts of God are irrevocable (Romans11:29). God will never change his mind and take his gift back; therefore our salvation is eternally secure. 2. Jesus points us to the basis of true salvation (v. 29): ‘My Father, who has given them to me’. This is a statement that answers so many questions. Where does the Good Shepherd get his sheep from? The Father gives them to him. Why do the sheep follow the Shepherd? Because they hear his voice (v. 27). Why is it that they hear his voice and others do not? Because there has been an operation of grace in their hearts, without which they cannot believe (v. 26). The God who has done all this for us is greater than all (v. 29). The only way a Christian can be snatched from the hand of God would be for almighty God himself to be defeated; and since he is greater than all, that is impossible. Our salvation, therefore, is eternally secure.
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DAY 20
John 11: 1-37
Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were dearly loved by Jesus, so why did God allow sickness and death to bring so much pain to them? Jesus tells us that Lazarus’s illness was for the glory of God (v. 4). How could God be glorified in Lazarus’s illness? Jesus told the Jews in verse 25 of chapter 10 that the miracles proved who he was, but they did not believe. He then proceeded to do the greatest miracle possible. Lazarus was dead. He was buried and had been in the tomb for four days. His body was beginning to smell as it decayed. There was no doubt about this and there were many witnesses. Then Jesus, in full view of the crowd, raised Lazarus from the dead. By the power of God the Father, Jesus conquers death. God was glorified and Jesus declared that he himself is the resurrection and the life. The same is still true. Because Jesus lives, we shall live also. The graves will give up their dead. Another way God can be glorified in sickness is by the demonstration of his love and grace in the way the Christian copes with his suffering. We may argue that it is not easy to deal with pain, illness and death. Far from being easy, it is impossible in our own strength, but God promises, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ Note that it is grace, not will power, nor strength of character, nor stoic endurance that we need. If we live in this attitude, Christians and non-Christians will observe it and will appreciate something of the love and mercy of God. Thus God is glorified..
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DAY 21
John 11:38-57
Lazarus was dead; of that there was no doubt. Jesus raised him from the dead and of this there was no doubt either, because in the next chapter we find Lazarus having dinner with his friends. Lazarus was alive. God was glorified. Jesus demonstrated that he was in total control of life and death. This Christian family was reunited and joy replaced sorrow. What help is this to us when we lose a loved one to death? God has fixed a day when what happened to Lazarus will happen to all believers, but with a glorious difference. Lazarus was raised to live again in a sinful body and to a sinful world. Consequently one day he would have to go back to the grave. On the Great Day of the Lord both we and Lazarus will be raised with new bodies, which will be like Christ’s glorious body, and we will live in a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no sin at all and no more dying. This is the hope of the gospel, so when we bury Christians we do so with this wonderful prospect in mind. As we stand at their graves and weep for our loss, we can also rejoice that one day Jesus will stand over all graves; graves which will give up their dead in obedience to the sovereign voice of God. No wonder Paul said that we are to encourage each other with this truth. This is not ‘pie in the sky when you die’ but the achievement of the love and power of our God and Saviour.
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DAY 22
John 12:1-19
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the last week of the life of Jesus. John sets the entry in the context of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and the words of Psalm 118. He wants us to see Jesus as the King. Much will happen in the next week that might cause us to lose sight of this, so on the first day of that momentous week this is his emphasis. He is the King, ‘who comes in the name of the Lord’ (v. 13). Here is his authority. He is not King by accident of birth or because his ancestors either killed or murdered someone. He is King by the sovereign decree of the Lord. This is the ultimate authority that supersedes all human authority. On Palm Sunday the subjects of the King proclaimed him as they paved his way and shouted ‘Hosanna!’ Their reaction ought to be the reaction of all subjects of King Jesus — praise, unashamed adoration, demonstrated love and devotion. Is Jesus your King? Do you praise him? Does your heart swell with joy and excitement at the cry that your King is coming? Many Christians seem to find it difficult to praise the Lord Jesus. There is a shy reserve about us. Perhaps we react against a flippant and silly sort of praise that is all noise and emotion. But when writing about the Triumphant Entry, John Calvin mentions the ‘ardour which God excites’. In other words, there are times when shy reserve would be wrong and unashamed praise the only worthy response to Jesus.
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DAY 23
John 12:20-50
Seeing is believing, says the world. No, says the New Testament, it is not. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) not seeing. The people of verse 37 had seen many miracles performed by Jesus, yet “they still would not believe in him�. They were like the men and women of Capernaum who saw most of the miracles and remained unbelievers. They were like the people at the cross who said to Jesus come down and we will believe in you. But Jesus would not pander to this because he knew that seeing is not believing. The kind of faith that comes only by seeing miracles is at best shallow and at worse temporary. To explain this unbelief John quotes from Isaiah 6 in verse 40. This is a difficult verse and seems to excuse their unbelief. Jesus had urged the people to walk in the light (v 35-36). If they will not do this then v 40 becomes an inevitable result. When sinners, of their own accord, reject the gospel and harden their hearts against Jesus, God blinds their eyes so that those who were not willing to believe will come to a state when they will not be able to believe. It is folly to think that sinners can believe any time they like. God himself is directly involved in saving faith. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and points us to Jesus who alone can forgive sin. If the sinner rejects this work of God then he is left with no way of salvation. He has hardened his own heart and God confirms this as Isaiah says and John repeats.
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DAY 24
John 13-1-17
The Scriptures record nothing of what happened on the Wednesday and today’s reading takes place on the Thursday. Jesus knew he only had a very short time left with the apostles (v. 10) and he used this to prepare them for his death. In the teaching of chapters 1317 he ‘showed them the full extent of his love’ (v. 1). Because his love for them meant he would soon die for them, Jesus prepared his disciples for life without his bodily presence. He loved them and love was to govern their conduct. This he demonstrated during the meal by performing the very menial task of washing the feet of those present, a duty normally assigned to a servant. Pride prevented the disciples doing this themselves, so imagine their astonishment and shame when Jesus moves from one to another with a basin and towel. Peter objects, but this is dealt with firmly and gently. Jesus then drives the lesson home. If the one they call Lord is prepared to accept the most humbling of jobs, ought not they, his servants, do the same thing? There was no answer to such an example, but knowing what to do and doing it are not the same thing. There must not be any place for pride in the Christian’s heart. Pride is a denial of the love we say we have for Jesus. It is an elevation of self above everything else. In a Christian it is as ugly as any sin can be and must be resisted fiercely. If we love grace we should hate pride. There can be no room for pride in someone who is saved by grace. Beware of an evangelical phariseeism where the head is full of the right doctrines but the heart full of spiritual pride.
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DAY 25
John 13:18-38
We are told in verse 21 that ‘Jesus was troubled in spirit’ and it is not difficult to see why. He is the omniscient God and knows everything. He knew all about Judas from the beginning but now he has to expose the traitor. He took no delight in it and does not even mention his name. When Jesus said that one of the apostles would betray him, Judas knew who he was talking about. The words and attitude of Jesus should have melted his heart and caused him to come to the Saviour in repentance. By not mentioning names Jesus had left the door open for forgiveness. But Judas was determined and unmoved. The thought of betraying Jesus caused great distress among the other eleven. Matthew tells us, ‘They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”’ (v. 22). This is the reaction of men conscious of their own depravity and sin. It is the reaction of a true follower of Jesus who is more suspicious of his own sin than that of others. Judas uttered the same words (Matthew 26:25). Here is the arrogance and boldness of sin. Even in the presence of Christ sin is blatant and defiant. Jesus was troubled because here was a man who had seen many miracles and heard the words of life from the lips of the Son of God. Yet it was all to no avail. John records the frightening words, ‘Satan entered him’ (13:27). The devil had put a suggestion in the heart of Judas (v. 2), Judas had acted upon that thought and now Satan is in full control. If we play with Satan, he will finish up playing with us.
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DAY 26
John 14:1-14
The love and concern Jesus had for his disciples is shown in the opening verses of today’s reading. He did not want them to be troubled though he knew that it was inevitable that they would be. The crucifixion was going to be devastating for them, so he encourages them by stressing that the cross would not be the end. He planned to come back and ‘take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’ (v. 3). This leads on to the great gospel statement of verse 6, which must be one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. There is a triple claim in the verse which is quite amazing. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. There is no alternative to him and the second part of the verse confirms that: ‘No one comes to the Father except through me’. Why is Jesus so adamant that he is the only way to God? The stand he is taking leaves him either totally deluded or totally correct. There is no room for half measure. Either Jesus is deluded and we can safely ignore him, or he is right and therefore it would be the greatest possible folly to ignore him. Accepting that Jesus is the only way to God is not intolerant bigotry, it simply believes the teaching God has given in his Word. No truth is more clearly stated in Scripture, so to look for another way, in the light of God’s clear declarations about Jesus, is like a man with a brain tumour asking a witch doctor to operate on him instead of a brain surgeon.
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DAY 27
John 14: 15-31
Love for Jesus is not simply a matter of emotional feeling, it is a response of the will and mind to his commandments (v. 8). Jesus stresses this again in verses 21 and 23-24. It is all very well to talk about loving Jesus but it has to have a real bearing on life. The proof of that love is that we will hear his commands and seek to keep them. Jesus touches upon this in verse 15 and then leaves it for a while before picking it up again in verses 21-24. In between he makes the promise of giving to his people the Holy Spirit. Is he not showing us that without the indwelling power of the Spirit obedience to Christ’s commands would be impossible? But now the Holy Spirit (v. 17) indwells all believers and he gives us the desire and ability to live to please Christ. Follow through the teaching of verses 21-24. 1. If we really love Jesus we will keep his commands. 2. Because we love Jesus and prove it by our obedience, the Father shall love us. He loves all who love his Son. The love mentioned here is not only the redeeming love of salvation but the love of delight and joy in his children. 3. Jesus, seeing the Father rest with love on his disciples, feels himself drawn to them with a new and stronger tie: ‘We will come to him and make our home with him.’ With this love comes Christ’s peace exclusively to his people (v. 27). Such gospel promises are amazing and dispel all troubles of the heart.
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DAY 28
John 15
If we love Christ we will love all who belong to Christ. This is a command from Jesus to all who abide in him (v. 12). It is not a hint, nor a suggestion, but a repeated command (v. 17) so no Christian dare be indifferent to it. Love is a strong word. Jesus does not say tolerate or put up with your fellow believers but love them. He then defines what he means by this: ‘Love each other as I have loved you’ (v. 12). He has shown us what his love for us is like. It is a sacrificial love and has no limit (v. 13). It is an intimate and personal love (vv. 14-15). We tend to excuse our failures in this by saying that it is impossible for us to love as Christ did. But that is what he commands us to do and it is possible because we see it in the believers of the New Testament. It was the sort of love Epaphras had for his fellow believers in the church at Colossi — ‘he has a great zeal for you’ (Colossians 4:13, NKJV). It was the sort of love that Paul said Aquilla and Priscilla had for him: ‘They risked their lives for me’ (Romans 16:3). It was the sort of love that caused second-century pagans to say, ‘Behold how these Christians love one another.’ The absence of such love is disobedience to the commands of Jesus and, worse, a denial of all that he has done for us. We plead that it is not easy, but more than that, it is impossible unless we abide in Jesus. Abiding in him brings to us deeper experiences of his love and this will generate in us greater love for each other.
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DAY 29
John 16:1-16
God’s plan of salvation was not to make salvation possible, but rather he determined to actually save men and women. His plan was not that Jesus should die on the cross in the hope that at some time, somewhere, some people might understand and be saved. So the plan involved not only sending Jesus into the world, but also sending the Holy Spirit. In today’s reading Jesus tells us what the work of the Spirit in salvation is. After Jesus had died on the cross and risen from the grave the Holy Spirit would come. His ministry is to deal with the world and convict it of sin, righteousness and judgement (v. 8). The world, that is, all of us, is at fault on these three things and this has to be dealt with before we can be saved. The sin of which the world needs to be convicted is the sin of not believing in Jesus (v. 9). This is the greatest sin of which any person is capable. A man may be convicted that he is a liar or a cheat or a thief, but unless he is convicted of the sin of rejecting Christ he can never know salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts men of Christ’s righteousness (v. 10); that is, of his unique qualification to deal with our sin. If there is sin on one hand and righteousness on the other, then there must also be judgement. God’s holiness makes this inevitable. The judgement referred to here is that of Satan (v. 11) and points to the cross where Jesus defeated him. It is when a sinner knows these three things that he will cry out to God for mercy.
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DAY 30
John 16:17-33
The disciples were confused (vv. 17-18), so once again Jesus encourages them. Confusion is not unusual amongst Christians. What happens to us and to our loved ones confuses us. All sorts of things from biblical doctrine to current world events confuse us. The answer to our confusion is to see everything in the light of what Christ has done for us. The disciples were only hours away from the most shattering experience they would ever have — the death of Jesus on the cross. All their hopes and expectations would flounder at Calvary. Their sorrow would be intense but says Jesus, ‘Your grief will turn to joy’ (v. 20). Jesus is not saying that their grief will be exchanged for joy, but that it will be turned into joy. The very thing that will cause the grief, that is, the cross, will, when fully understood, be their greatest source of joy. This truth is very simply but powerfully illustrated in verse 21. The cross puts everything into perspective. It gains for us victory over the power and consequence of our sin. It helps us to think in terms of eternity not just the present. Our confusions are almost all tied up with present pain and ignorance. The cross lengthens our viewpoint so we begin to understand Paul in Romans 8:18: ‘I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.’ The cross assures us of glory because on the cross Jesus dealt with all the sin that stands between the believer and his God. This is our hope and confidence.
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DAY 31
John 17:1-5
The task of the high priest in the Old Testament was to approach God on behalf of the people. In John 17 we find the Lord Jesus doing exactly that. In the first five verses Jesus prays about his relationship with God the Father. While he was on earth he surrendered the heavenly enjoyment of unmixed pleasure in his Father’s presence. That is now about to be restored to him. Jesus has magnified his Father on earth by finishing the task given to him. Now he asks that the Father should glorify the Son by exalting him to his rightful place in heaven. ‘The time has come’ for Jesus to die. The cross is only a few hours away and the purpose for which Jesus came into the world is about to be realized. It was because of what he did on the cross that Jesus is able to ‘give eternal life to all those you have given him’ (v. 2). Then in the next verse Jesus defines eternal life as the blessing of knowing God. This knowledge is not intellectual but supremely a spiritual recognition of who God is, ‘the only true God’, and what he has done for us in his Son Jesus Christ, who he sent into the world. The world is full of gods; it always has been and always will be, as long as sin is part of human nature. But there is only one true God. Eternal life is to know this God, to be in his favour, to be acceptable to him and this is only possible through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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DAY 32
John 17:6-19
In today’s verses Jesus is praying for his disciples. His love for these men comes through more clearly here than anywhere else. The greatest thing he has done for them is to reveal God to them. He has spoken his Father’s word to them and they have accepted this. He has also protected them and lost none of them. Although Judas was one of the twelve, he was never really Christ’s. Jesus stresses that he is praying for his followers not for the world. He prays that the Father should protect them from the devil; that they may know unity among themselves; that they may experience the joy of the Lord and that they may be made holy. We should note the importance that Jesus attaches to God’s Word in these matters (vv. 8, 14, 17). In verse 11 Jesus asks a great thing for his apostles, ‘that they may be one as we are’. Christian unity is not the product of ecclesiastical agreement and dubious juggling over the meaning of words to accommodate different beliefs. Unity is the result of what we are — chosen by the Father and given to the Son. We are in Christ and nothing should be allowed to mar this — not national or cultural differences, nor social standing, nor intellectual ability. Not even different interpretations of doctrine. What will affect unity is if we lose the attitude of Jesus and become bigoted and intolerant. Tolerance does not mean accepting that everyone is entitled to his or her views; it is seeing the error of another believer’s position and even voicing it, but still keeping fellowship and loving him.
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DAY 33
John 17:20-26
Jesus now prays for all believers at all times in all places (v. 20). There is not a single child of God who has ever lived in this world, nor ever shall be, who is not included within the scope of this prayer. In describing the church of the future, Jesus assigns a crucial place to the apostolic message. He does not recognize any means other than the gospel as being capable of bringing men to a saving faith. This is because the apostle’s word is his word and his word is God’s word (v. 8). Faith comes by hearing and what sinners need to hear is God’s word. The Lord takes up the theme of unity again. It is a unity based upon and similar to the unity that exists between the Father and the Son. This means that it is not merely an outward display. It is a unity that can exist only among those who are in the Father and the Son, that is, those who have been born from above. This desired unity has a purpose; it is a testimony to the unbelieving world. It is through the unity of Christians that men and women are to believe that the Father sent the Son into the world out of love for sinners. The world is not convinced that Jesus is sent by God just because denominations merge together. That does not impress the world; in fact, it ignores such things. The only thing that causes the world to take notice is the presence of the Holy Spirit in Christians causing them to be united in love for God and each other. If Jesus prays for this then there is an obligation for all believers to work for a greater expression of our spiritual oneness.
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DAY 34
John 18:1-14
Peter’s denial of Jesus is perhaps more amazing than Judas ‘betrayal. He was the strong man, the confident leader of the twelve. But it may have been that Peter was too self-confident and even Christ’s warning did not appear to sink in (Matthew 26:35). It seems unbelievable that Matthew 26:74 can be referring to Peter. Swearing and cursing is an extreme reaction even in the act of denial. It reminds us how weak even the strongest Christian is. But denial is not betrayal. One is the weakness of the moment and the other is a carefully thought out rejection of Jesus. One will lead eventually to repentance and the other may lead to remorse but not repentance. The reaction to their sin is so different. Peter wept bitterly — here were tears of repentance and sorrow as at last the warning of Jesus sank in. Later on we see Jesus carefully seeking out Peter to assure him of forgiveness. Judas felt remorse and guilt. He even acknowledged that Jesus did not deserve what was happening to him but he did not seek forgiveness from God. He confessed to men who had no sympathy for him but did not confess to the one whose heart is always open to sinners. He hung himself because he could see no better way of dealing with his guilt. We may often feel guilty at the way we treat our Saviour but we must never lose sight of the fact that there is always forgiveness when we come in repentance to Jesus.
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DAY 35
John 18:28 – 19:16
Twice more Pilate protests his innocence, 19:4 and 6. But fear, verse 8, muffled his conscience. Pilate was in some ways like the men in John 12:43, they “love the praise from men more than praise from God”. When a man becomes more concerned with the opinions of men rather than the truth of God, he is on very dangerous ground. Fear takes over and right or wrong are not considered. Pilate knew it would be right to free Jesus and up to a point he tries to do this (v12), but the fear of the Jews sending a bad report to Caesar wins out. None of us are immune to fear. To some extent it touches all of us at some point in our lives. But there is a fear that paralyses like Pilate’s, and a fear that throws itself on the mercy of God as with Gideon in Judges 6. Here is a perfect example that fear need be no hindrance to service. Many of us are frequently riddled with fears — fear of witnessing, fear of praying in public. Most Christians have these or similar fears. What do we do with them? Do not let them dominate your Christian life. Recognize them and face up to them and then do what God wants you to do in his strength. Remember Gideon, and recognize that fear can be translated into action. There are fears and fears. If your fear is paralysing you, think of Gideon. One of our greatest strengths can be to know our own inabilities, and then to trust the Lord for his strength to work through us . God understands our fears. He knows that very few, if any, of us are going to be super saints with no fears or doubts. He does not expect us to be like that, but he does expect us to love him in spite of our doubts. He expects us to obey him and trust him in spite of our fears. When we do, he graciously ministers to us in our weakness, just as he did with Gideon.
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DAY 36
John 20:1-18
The first person to see the risen Christ on Easter Sunday morning was Mary Magdalene. The crucifixion had broken her heart but now the thought that someone had stolen the body of Jesus (v. 2) was too much to bear. She, like all the disciples, did not expect the resurrection. When the truth is made known to her that Jesus is indeed alive, her joy knows no bounds and she wants to wrap her arms around him. But Jesus stops her (v. 17). He was not objecting to being touched, as we can see when he meets Thomas in verse 27. Jesus was telling Mary that the risen Christ would not be like the risen Lazarus and continue to live as if nothing had happened. He was, he says, ‘returning to my Father’ (v. 17) and their fellowship in the future would not be physical but spiritual. It will be richer and more blessed than ever. It would be the fellowship of the risen Lord in the Spirit with his church. Have you ever wished you could have talked with Jesus as the first disciples did; thinking that this perhaps would make you a better Christian? That is wrong thinking. The fellowship and communion Mary Magdalene had with Jesus after the ascension was as ours is now, in the Spirit, and it was sweeter and richer than ever. The history of the church proves that. They were better Christians after Jesus returned to heaven than they were before. This is why Jesus said, ‘It is for your good that I am going away’ (John 16:7). They had no advantage over what is offered to us now. They, like us, needed the Holy Spirit and it is his job to glorify Jesus and reveal him to us.
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DAY 37
John 20:19-31
When the risen Christ appeared to his disciples they were overjoyed, but Thomas missed all this. We do not know why he was not with them but it is a sober reminder of what any of us may miss out on by not being with other believers in fellowship. Thomas was not the only disciple not to believe in the resurrection when he first heard of it, but in his reaction to the good news we can see something of the nature of unbelief in believers. His first reaction in verse 25 is not cautious doubt but stubborn unbelief. He hears the news from people he loved and trusted, so why the adamant statement that he will not believe? Was it still sorrow and disappointment over the events at Calvary? Was he allowing grief to blind his judgement? In this state of mind he says, in effect, ‘If I am going to believe it will only be on certain conditions’ (v. 25). Sadly, what we see here is a believer acting like an unbeliever. Thankfully our God has amazing patience with us and Jesus demonstrates this in his dealing with Thomas (v. 27). This must have been very humbling for Thomas. Can you imagine how he felt as he put his finger in the wound? But he is now convinced and Jesus gives him a gentle rebuke in verse 29. It would be a mistake if all we saw in this incident is the lack of faith of a Christian and missed seeing the wonderful grace of Jesus to Thomas. We are all guilty of committing the same sin as Thomas at some time or other and we ought to thank God for his gentle dealings with us. What patience and longsuffering Jesus has with us all. This should soften our hearts and make our conscience tender with a desire never to doubt such a gracious God.
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DAY 38
John 21:1-14
After the resurrection the apostles were overjoyed that Jesus was alive but very conscious that they had let him down badly. From Gethsemane to Calvary they had been no help to Jesus, so would he still want them as his friends? Would he still trust them and use them? At this point we see Peter saying, ‘I’m going out to fish.’ He was restless and had to do something. The others were the same and decide to go with him. It was if they had to occupy themselves, but even this was a failure because they caught no fish. They were uncertain as to whether Jesus would use them again to catch men, and now, on top of that, they couldn’t even catch fish. Everything was in a mess and they felt useless and hopeless. Then we see the wonder of divine love and grace. In all this Jesus was near (v. 4) but they did not know it. There may be times as Christians when we feel we are failures and we lose an awareness of the nearness of the Lord, but Jesus is always nearer than we think. It is at such times that we need to remind ourselves that our understanding of God is not to be built upon our feelings and experiences but upon his word and promise (Hebrews 13:5). In times of confusion and uncertainty there is no greater thrill for a Christian than to be made aware of the nearness of Jesus. The Saviour said to the disciples and still says to us, ‘Come and have breakfast’ (v. 12). Here is the ever-gracious invitation of the Lord. There is always spiritual food available when he is near. Heaven’s provisions are laid out for us as Jesus provides for our needs.
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DAY 39
John 21:15-25
Of the seven apostles who had breakfast with Jesus, Peter was the one who felt the greatest failure. He had denied three times that he even knew Jesus therefore he needed the greatest reassurance that Jesus still loved him. So the Lord now deals particularly with Peter (v. 15). We should never question whether Jesus still loves us because divine love cannot waver. The question is: Do we love him? Jesus asks Peter this question three times. Peter was hurt by the repetition of the same question (v. 13). But why? Had he not by his denial given reason for doubt to be cast upon his love for Jesus? Because God is gracious and forgiving we are not to think that our sin does not matter. It deeply grieves the heart of the Lord. The hurt that Peter felt when his love was questioned was nothing compared to the hurt Jesus felt when Peter denied him. We do not give enough thought as to what our sin does to God. Perhaps if we did, we would not sin so much! The New Testament regards love for Jesus as demonstrated by keeping his commandments, and sin as breaking those commandments. Obedience therefore is not legalism; it is the greatest demonstration of love for God. Peter’s failure was great, but even for such sin there is forgiveness and restoration. Christ is not as quick as we are to write off believers, and Peter is recommissioned to the work of the gospel. He needed this confrontation with Jesus, as we all do, after a time of failure. Sin should not make us reluctant to meet with Christ but should remind us that the only place we can experience forgiveness is in the presence of Jesus.
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BECOMING A CHRISTIAN If you are in earnest about becoming a Christian, there are a few things you need to understand. Becoming a Christian is not like joining a club, neither is it the same as taking up a new interest or hobby. Your desire to be a Christian has to be an overwhelming necessity, and such a desire will not be created by a casual interest but only by God working in your heart and mind. You cannot make yourself a Christian. You can decide to call yourself a Christian but that is not the same as being one. This is true because of what a Christian is. By definition a Christian is a Christ-person, one who loves the Lord Jesus Christ and seeks to live his life according to the Saviour’s teaching. But to do this is contrary to all that we are by nature, so our nature has to be changed if we are to be Christians, and only God can do that. Both these points lead us to see that only God can make us Christians. This is why Paul in Ephesians 2:10 in describing himself and other believers said, “We are God’s workmanship.” Each Christian is the product of an extraordinary work of Almighty God. Does this mean then that there is nothing we can do and we must just wait for God
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to work in us? It is true that there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves but still the Bible teaches that if God is beginning to work in us, one of the first things we will notice is the growing desire to have our sins forgiven and to have peace with God. So the Bible tells us to seek the Lord. From what we have seen so far certain things become clear. ¨We need to be Christians because our sin separates us from God and will eventually take us to hell. Sin, guilt and judgement are truths that we may not like but they are the only reasonable explanation for the state of the world today and for the state of our hearts. These are the reasons why we need to become Christians. ¨If we are to be Christians it must be in God’s way and God has only one way which is through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is not one of many ways to God, He is the only way. That is not bigotry or intolerance, it is simply the truth. ¨When Jesus died on the cross He did so to fulfil God’s plan of salvation for sinners. God made Jesus responsible for our sin and Jesus gladly accepted that awful responsibility. So when He died on the cross He did so as a sacrifice, bearing our sin and guilt and taking the punishment for that sin. He died in our place. In this way God satisfies His own holiness
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in that our sin is dealt with legally and justly, and at the same time He is able to forgive the guilty sinner and fully pardon all our sin. ¨To seek the Lord means that we acknowledge our own sin and guilt, and plead with God to save us from its consequence. This He can and will do because of what the Lord Jesus did on the cross. ¨God makes us Christians by not only forgiving our sin but by also dealing with the root of the problem which is not merely our sinful behaviour but our sinful nature which dictates our actions. He changes our nature by creating in us new desires, new longings, new ambitions and new attitudes. This is done by the power of His Holy Spirit becoming the motivating force in our lives. When someone becomes a Christian he is a new person. Christ now rules and reigns in his heart. If you believe these things and you really want to become a Christian then it leaves you with only one thing to do. Trust in Christ alone to save you and hate your own sin. Plead with God to have mercy on you. Do this until you know God’s peace in your heart. When you seek the Lord in this way you can be sure that He will not turn you away.
peter@peterjeery.org.uk
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